no, it was a country that was full of
robbers, and they would come and steal it; and then the sin would be on
us for putting the temptation in their way. So we went on; but I wished
we had took all they had, so there wouldn't 'a' been no temptation at
all left.

We had had two hours of that blazing weather down there, and was
dreadful thirsty when we got aboard again. We went straight for the
water, but it was spoiled and bitter, besides being pretty near hot
enough to scald your mouth. We couldn't drink it. It was Mississippi
river water, the best in the world, and we stirred up the mud in it
to see if that would help, but no, the mud wasn't any better than the
water. Well, we hadn't been so very, very thirsty before, while we was
interested in the lost people, but we was now, and as soon as we found
we couldn't have a drink, we was more than thirty-five times as thirsty
as we was a quarter of a minute before. Why, in a little while we wanted
to hold our mouths open and pant like a dog.

Tom said to keep a sharp lookout, all around, everywheres, because we'd
got to find an oasis or there warn't no telling what would happen. So we
done it. We kept the glasses gliding around all the time, till our
arms got so tired we couldn't hold them any more. Two hours--three
hours--just gazing and gazing, and nothing but sand, sand, SAND, and you
could see the quivering heat-shimmer playing over it. Dear, dear, a body
don't know what real misery is till he is thirsty all the way through
and is certain he ain't ever going to come to any water any more. At
last I couldn't stand it to look around on them baking plains; I laid
down on the locker, and give it up.

But by and by Tom raised a whoop, and there she was! A lake, wide and
shiny, with pa'm-trees leaning over it asleep, and their shadders in the
water just as soft and delicate as ever you see. I never see anything
look so good. It was a long ways off, but that warn't anything to us; we
just slapped on a hundred-mile gait, and calculated to be there in seven
minutes; but she stayed the same old distance away, all the time; we
couldn't seem to gain on her; yes, sir, just as far, and shiny, and like
a dream; but we couldn't get no nearer; and at last, all of a sudden,
she was gone!

Tom's eyes took a spread, and he says:

"Boys, it was a MYridge!" Said it like he was glad. I didn't see nothing
to be glad about. I says:

"Maybe. I don't care nothing about its name, the thing